Terms of Reference

Update of Stock Status for Cod in 4X5Y

Regional Peer Review – Maritimes Region

December 6-7, 2022
Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Melanie Barrett

Context

In the Maritimes Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Fisheries Management requests an annual assessment of resource status for a variety of groundfish species. DFO conducts full peer-reviewed stock assessments for a number of groundfish stocks on a multi-year assessment schedule; however, in the interim-years, monitoring continues with Science providing annual updates on the status of these stocks. In addition, DFO has conducted an annual Summer Research Vessel (RV) Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization divisions 4VWX and a small portion of 5Y since 1970. Results of these updates and the annual RV Survey are used for discussion with various industry stakeholders on recommendations for management measures, with the results of the RV Survey used to determine which stocks should be reviewed in more detail.

Objectives

• Evaluate any new biological and fishery information on 4X5Y Cod. In particular, provide the following information:
  • fishery landings
  • research vessel (RV) survey biomass and length composition
  • age-structured indices of abundance
  • total mortality (Z)
  • relative fishing mortality (relF)
• Run the accepted population model, providing new three-year projections at various harvest levels.
• Report on current stock status with respect to B_lim and report the F trend.
• Outline the expected assessment/update cycle and confirm the exceptional circumstances used to trigger an assessment.

Expected Publications

• Science Response

Expected Participation

• DFO Science, Maritimes Region
• DFO Resource Management, Maritimes Region